Govt to introduce new curriculum in 2004

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government is planning to introduce a new education curriculum in 2004, offering less subjects and giving more authority to schools, especially teachers, in determining subjects suited to local conditions.

Ministry of National Education's Director General of Elementary and High School Education Indra Djati Sidi said on Tuesday that it was urgent to implement the competence-based curriculum to improve the country's human resources.

"We have to step forward to mend our old shortcomings," Indra said, adding that all designated ministries should join forces with the education ministry in upgrading the country's quality of education.

Details of the new curriculum could not be revealed as it is still being finalized by the Ministry of National Education.

According to Indra, the current 1994 content-based curriculum was considered too demanding, therefore students were not taught to think.

Currently, more than 11 subjects are being taught in elementary schools, giving no chance for teachers to develop the materials.

The Hong Kong based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) reported earlier this year that Indonesia's education system ranked 12th in Asia behind Vietnam which came 11th in 2001. The United Nations Development Program said earlier that Indonesia's Human Development Index ranked 102nd in the world.

Noted education expert Muchtar Buchori, who was involved in drafting the National Education bill, said the new curriculum should encourage a democratic education system, where teachers are given authority to decide on the subjects taught in their schools.

"There must be a curriculum change," Buchori said on Wednesday, underlining that the change was needed to improve the quality of human resources in Indonesia.

Buchori warned that changing the curriculum of elementary and high schools was not the only answer to the education system problem, but just the beginning of a process that required further implementation and enrichment.

Another education expert Arief Rachman said on Tuesday the poor result of school graduates was due in part to the government's failure to put education as a priority in national development programs.

"Consequently, the government allocates an insignificant amount for national education," he said.

Darmaningtyas, an education researcher, said that a curriculum change would not automatically improve the quality of education.

"A curriculum will not work well without creativity on the part of the teachers in teaching and learning activities," Darmaningtyas said.